1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane or CFC-113, marketed by E. I. du Pont Nemours & Co. under the tradename Freon TF.TM., by Allied Signal as Genesolv D.TM. and by Imperial Chemical Industries as Arklone P.TM., has traditionally been specified and used by commercial aircraft producers to remove unwanted Type IV commercial aircraft hydraulic fluids from assembled airplanes and aircraft parts. However, the production and use of trichlorotrifluoroethane has been curtailed voluntarily and by law in an effort to reduce depletion of the earth's ozone layer. Production of trichlorotrifluoroethane will be eliminated by the year 1995. Accordingly, a new cleaning solvent for hydraulic fluids must be found.
Although I evaluated many commercially available single component solvents, solvent blends and cleaning mixtures, none complied with environmental regulations nor possessed all the requisite qualities of thorough, rapid and complete cleaning of hydraulic fluid; low toxicity; low flammability; high evaporation rate; wide operational temperature range; and compatibility with aircraft materials and systems. Accordingly, it was my object to invent a new solvent mixture with all these qualities.